Saturday, September 13, 2014

Dons shut out Colts, 19-0

El Camino receiver Andres Abarca (in red) is swamped by Aragon defenders as he tries to make a catch late in the game on Sept. 13, 2014. Photo by John Baker.

SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO — A close game got away from El Camino High on Saturday, as Aragon took advantage of a couple trick plays and a stifling secondary to beat the Colts 19-0 on El Camino’s gridiron.

El Camino (1-1) just couldn’t get much going. Its pass-heavy offense, which performed well the week before in a victory at Washington, wasn’t enough on Saturday. Quarterback Andrew Pierotti completed nine of 25 passes for 108 yards, for an El Camino team that was only able to manage 122 yards of net offense, but was intercepted four times.

“A couple of them were great plays (by Aragon defenders),” said El Camino coach Mark Turner, “and a couple of them were bad throws.”

Aragon coach Steve Sell said his secondary is all second-year starters.

“Those guys are all great athletes and now they’re experienced,” Sell said. “They take pride in their ‘no-fly zone.’ Our defense kept us in the game because we were not very good offensively in the first half.”

Aragon (2-0) got on the board with 6:37 left in the second quarter, when halfback Devin Grant took a handoff, then threw a pass as the El Camino secondary rushed in after him to Tyee Stokman, who scrambled 60 yards up the right side to make it 6-0.

“We played them last year, and their safeties crashed on the outside,” said Aragon coach Steve Sell. “We tried to take advantage to how hard they react. We needed something; we were kind of desperate.”

That score held up to halftime. It could have been worse for the Colts, who were bolstered by two key first-half defensive plays — a sack by Elton Vargas that led to a turnover on downs and a big fumble recovery by EC's Gabe DeOlivera right before the break to stop an Aragon drive. Additionally, the Dons were penalized eight times for 90 yards, making it difficult for them to get much momentum.

A second throw from a running back set up a five-yard Grant touchdown run four minutes into the second half. Like the big play in the first half, the Dons took advantage as the Colts’ secondary rushed the ball carrier.

“When guys get antsy they want to be making a play,” Turner said. “Sometimes they make a play that’s not supposed to be their play.”

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Devin Grant scores in the third quarter for Aragon.Photo by John Baker.

Grant led all rushers with 82 yards on 11 carries. Andres Abarca was El Camino’s leading receiver with three catches for 43 yards.

Grant also took in a 19-yard touchdown with just under a minute left in the third quarter. El Camino got into the Aragon red zone in the game’s final minutes, but could not cross the goal line.

Both high schools in South San Francisco are still winless at home on their new Measure J-funded artificial turf fields. Visiting South San Francisco High beat El Camino, 29-28, in the Colts’ field debut on Nov. 16. Visiting Capuchino beat South City, 14-7, in the first game at the Warriors’ new digs on Friday night. El Camino hosts Lincoln High of San Francisco next Saturday at 2 p.m. in an effort to beat the dry spell.